Due to collision damage right front lower ball joint has been pushed back about 3cm (1 inch), torsion bar is also warped a little bit. As a result my RF caster is now negative (LF is ok). It looks like LBJ is mounted solid to the frame and cannot be pushed back without some heavy machinery - please correct me if I'm wrong - but I could move UBJ backwards to correct the caster problem. Will this have any unwanted side-effects? Any other ideas?
TIA, Peter
CAster is the foward and backward tilt of the wheel, even if you could move the balljoint backwards you will still have a caster problem. One wheel would be in front of the other and if you can picture that you would see that the vehicle would be trying to go into a circle. the vehicle would then be tracking
Glenn Beasley Chrysler Tech
Around here you could get a laser alignment frame shop to pull it back for about $700. Have you called around? It's not as expensive as you might think.
Ted
By moving UBJ backwards I'm tilting the wheel backwards... am I not?
Anyway, 'one wheel in front of other' has crossed my mind. For some reason right wheelbase (distance between front and rear wheels) is 1cm longer than left. So, if I effectively move RF wheel 3cm backwards (by adjusting UBJ position) my base difference will be 2cm. Not ideal, but may be acceptable
I will definitely call around for some frame alignment - thanks to the other poster for suggestion! I thought it is close to impossible to pull such a heavy frame into alignment.
Peter
ok, I might be tasting my foot here but on my 95 Dakota the RF is 1" closer to rear than the left front. I remember back in 98 a tire shop tried to get me to let them "repair" this "dangerous" situation. after a little research I found that this was factory. I went to dealer and got a copy of the dimension sheet. clearly shows RF 1" off set from LF.
You need to fix what is bent. The lower ball joint is pressed into the lower control arm. If the arm is bent you need to replace it. If not you will wear your tires out. If the torsion bar is bent, replace it.
I wish it was that simple. Looks like the bracket that holds lower control arm to frame is bent, and it's not replaceable.
Peter
Sure it is.
After I got my dirt track race car I realized you can rebuild anything if you can weld or know someone who can weld. There's nothing I can't bend up on the track or cut up with my sawzall that my welder buddy can't rebuild better.
It all comes down to $ - how much are you willing to spend?
And this sounds like a job for a frame shop or a fab shop to make sure it's done right and square.
Ray
The part can most likely be ordered. A body shop would cut out the old bracket and weld in the new after straightening the frame rail (if necessary) -- IF they couldn't bend the old one straight on-vehicle.
Toyota MDT in MO
Everything is replaceable. Sometimes the whole _car_ is replaceable. Worse comes to worst this is a job for a torch.
--scott
Not so Billy. Now some alignment shops will change the caster out of specs on one side more then the other to compensate for a pull due to the crown in the road, but technically theres only .50 degree plus or minus for tolerances, which could be 1.0 degree difference Caster specs for the 98 Dakato are on a 4X4 wheel base 111.9 2.99
123.9 3.09130.9 3.13
with a 0.50
degree + - Glenn Beasley Chrysler Tech
on one side more then the other to compensate for a pull due to the crown in the road, but technically theres only .50 degree plus or minus for tolerances, which could be 1.0 degree difference Caster specs for the 98 Dakato are on a 4X4 wheel base 111.9 2.99
123.9 3.09 130.9 3.13with a 0.50
degree + - Glenn Beasley Chrysler Tech
My bad, thats a 4X2 specs with the 5.2 litre
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